Re: Kobe/Larry

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Gregory Odegaard wrote:

> Ok not to incite a riot, because as I said before no one hates the Fakes more than me, and I would rather see Kobe fail for the sake of his team, and NBC of course, and he had an overall  mediocre game at best today, but once and for all, he is the star.  He hit the huge shots from Compton, while Shaq sits on the bench because he isn't a scorer in the true sense, and his free throws, forget about it.
>
> And the comment on our boy Larry, after watching the statuette look on his face in a replay after Smits missed the second FT, by Costas; "The Stone Cold Look of an Athletic Assassin".  This is exactly why Mr. Bird was and always will be my favorite, he was the game, and the game came to him, and emotion had no true place in the arena of athletic endeavors.  Except after winning it all.  Let us all feel that high again soon.
>
> Oh to have one true player on our current team to have this look.  AW will have to calm down, but he has the skills.  Maybe PP or Ron.
>
> Can't wait for Friday in the Rose City.  I have to say again how lucky I feel with the Celtics only playing 3 western conference games, actually coming to Portland.
>
> Bring it on,
> Ode

Hi

I'm looking forward to Greg's game report from Portland but hope to not read how he got assaulted by Claudia the blazer fan :-)

Regarding his post on da Bird, do you all remember how Larry melted down at the buzzer following the three straight miracle wins against Philly in the 1981 Eastern Conference playoffs (in which they were actually nearly blown out in all three)? Bird was expressionless all game long even when they were down 11 points or more to that great Philly team, but when that final buzzer sounded he suddenly cupped both hands around the
back of his head (who knows why?) and started jumping up and down in place, while fans spilled on and around him. There's was no muggin' for the TV camera like Magic and Isaiah (I love 'em too but you've gotta admit they ALWAYS knew where the TV camera was) or all the blowing kissy-kissy peace signs in the air like Jordan.

When I watched that old Philly game with my wife recently, even she was moved by Bird's reaction at the end, and I'll bet she knows and cares less about basketball than even Mennino's wife. But now she understands why I'm the only dork around who still always wipes my hands on the bottom of my sneakers, and exactly who I mean when I talk about "the most complete basketball player in NBA history".

I believe the Philly-Celtics-Fakers rivalry will again be the talk of the NBA in a 3-4 years, assuming the Flakers don't implode.


"Sack Sacramento"


Joe

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